Siliguri (West Bengal), July 12 - With the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) calling for an indefinite shutdown in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district from Monday noon, people have rushed to stock supplies while a steady stream of tourists has started down to the plains.

The Gorkha organisation has called the shutdown in the Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong sub-divisions in support of its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland in the northern part of West Bengal and transfer out of the area of Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) K.L. Tamta.

Alleging that Tamta was instigating people against the GJM, the outfit earlier shot off a letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, setting Monday noon as the deadline for the police officer's removal.

It also accused Tamta and Darjeeling Additional Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Chaturvedi of ordering an 'unprovoked' baton charge on its members at Panighatta, during a clash with activists of the rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF).

'But our first demand is Gorkhaland. We don't want to remain in West Bengal,' GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said in Darjeeling.

GJM assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang said the organisation's supremo Bimal Gurung met the leaders of its youth front Yuva Morcha Sunday and gave the go-ahead for the shutdown.

However, the tourists and the students in Darjeeling schools will be given relaxation Monday to move out of the hills. 'We won't obstruct tourists and students Monday.'

Darjeeling is a famed tourist spot known internationally, while 5,000 students from India and abroad study in some of the famed schools located in the hills.